Food Rules

When my daughter was diagnosed with multiple food allergies many years ago, our family became well acquainted with the enormous place food holds.  Food rules.  It dictates a lot.  Even our social lives can be altered as most celebrations are centered around food.

After the news, our lives took a new focus. There were many extra precautions, extra preparations, so much to learn, many to educate and so many worries.  And at the time, we may not have known it, but it was perhaps the spark plug to a more aware path.  Although the 13 foods she was allergic to and not allowed to eat were ingredients in basically all the other foods on the store shelves, what seemed like a crisis turned into a catalyst. It was a time of condensed learning. There was nothing gradual about it. It was learning on speed dial.  And, one advantage of it was that we became better schooled and certainly more cognizant of the effects food has on our bodies - the good and the not so good.  Thus, food rules,  Yes, it does. It has quite the impact.

Some Parameters

The food we consume is one element to leading a healthy lifestyle.  The choices can overwhelm - what diets to follow, what foods to stay away from, which ones to include and how to best prepare it.  So, for me, I have a few parameters I like to stay within most of the time when it comes to food choices:




Eat more plants and seeds.  The studies say the same thing - eat a plant based diet and the benefits are numerous:   improved blood pressure, decreased risk of heart disease, lowered cholesterol, better weight control, lower cancer rates, better moods, nicer skin, slower aging, etc.

Make sure those plants have lots of shades of green and other different colors, and consume a variety of them.  The green in a plant usually indicates chlorophyll - a life sustainer.  The many other colors present in fruits and vegetables indicate the different antioxidant phytochemicals they contain. Many of these chemicals help protect us against various diseases, but each in a different way.

Avoid foods that have sugar listed as the first three ingredients.  If sugar or a form of it is listed early on, then it is probably a lot of sugar and too much of it.

Do not use artificial sweeteners.  I just stay away from the fake stuff.  More chemicals.  Besides, they give me a headache.  That can't be good.

Keep it whole.  Food closest to its most natural state is best.  Our bodies then know what to do with it.

Eat when hungry and stop when full.  Gluttony,  It is one of the seven sins, after all.

Enjoy a treat but make it occasional.  When you decide to indulge, go ahead and enjoy every last bit of it. No guilt.  But keep it to every now and then.

Don't eat out too much.  Love to cook; hate the dishes. But if you eat out a lot, you really can't account for everything that is going in your mouth.  If you prepare it, you know.

Go organic.  Some foods have lower levels of pesticide than others (see here), and it is not always possible to find organic foods or afford it.  Further, when eating out, it is really difficult.  But, when you can, choose it.

Do not preach.  By all means, provide a good example and share information.  But, if you go too academic on others, your wanting to help them has been negated.  You could create a negative impression when you really want to encourage.  Be gentle.

So, tell me, is my way, your way?  What are your parameters when it comes to food?  C'mon, now. Do share!

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucias_clay/1420646266/">bitznbitez ( was lucias_clay )</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>